New Bight Settlement, Cat Island, Bahamas

 We picked up Royce from Cerca Trova in the dinghy for a hike up to the monastery.  

We've all been here before,it's just a nice pleasant walk and we needed some exercise.  (It's the tallest point on the Bahamas at a little over 200 feet).  

 

Beautiful sunny day - I wore a long sleeved white shirt to help keep the sun off at bit.  On the walk, we met the family/crew from La Gracia, the Seawind catamaran that is also in the anchorage.  We made plans with them on the path for sundowners on Sojourn in the evening.

 

Up to the top.

 

We explored the monastery/hermitage built and used by "Father Jerome" in 1939.

 

His prayer room/chapel.

 

His bedroom.  He must have been really short.

 

After a bit more walking around town, back to the boats.  Cerca Trova and La Gracia.

And this is the only photo I snapped of the cruisers, enjoying the evening and conversation.

New Bight Settlement, Cat Island, Bahamas

 A stormy start to the day - a small rain cloud chased us away from the anchorage.

 

But as usual in the Bahamas, that quickly passed and we were in for a lively sail, tacking our way 20 miles south.  We had speeds of 8 knots occasionally, but all the zig-zagging made for a six hour trip.  Good fun - we made it less than 1/2 mile to our anchorage with no engines.

 

And in the distance as we approach the anchorage you can see the monastery at the top of the hill.  We've hiked to it before and will probably do so again as it's a fun walk and we will likely be in this anchorage for several days due to some high winds heading our way.

Treated to a beautiful sunrise once again!

Bennett's Harbour, Cat Island, Bahamas

 Out for another snorkel in the morning.

 

Duane spotted a good sized lion fish  and easily speared it.  (Lionfish are non-native and invasive so we are encouraged to take as many as we can.  They are excellent food fish but you have to be very careful of those lovely poisonous spines!)

 

A little video - this reef is so healthy and full of life!

 

Back to the boat - Duane cut off all the poisonous spines of the lionfish - ready for me to clean it.  (I still wear gloves just in case!)

 Mid-day we dinghied to shore - and walked 1.5 miles to Kessie's Restaurant.  Nothing much of interest along the road and little traffic.  (I had read it was 1/2 of a mile from the "town" so 1.5 miles was disappointing!)

 

But once we had a cold Kalik in hand, all was well.

 

I had to take a photo of the placemant - nicely done!  I may try to replicate if I end up with palm fronds this season.

 

The first cracked conch of the season for me.  It was delicious!

 

Back to Sojourn, we're still the only boat in the anchorage.

 

But a little roll from the south was tossing the boat around in the anchorage when we returned, so we decided to head 5 miles south to a more protected anchorage.  Used that hour to do some much needed laundry.  I bet we were the sight motoring along with clothes flapping!

 

 
Pretty little Bennett's Harbour for the night.  No other boats around and we've seen no one ashore.  Maybe a bit early for holiday travelers.

Orange Creek, Cat Island, Bahamas

 Early in the AM the next cruise ship arrived.  This time the Carnival Legend. It was fun watching them drop their HUGE anchor with the binoculars.  

Hopefully this is our last cruise ship close encounter this winter.

 

Amazingly, folks were boarding the ferries to go ashore at 7:30AM.

 

But soon we pulled our anchor and left the to their adventures.  Had the fishing poles out as we stayed in deep water most of the trip over to Cat Island.  Did hook one barracuda, but no edible fishy....arrived mid-day at the lovely small Orange Creek community on the northern tip of Cat Island.

 But before we explore on land, we wanted to check out the reef at the tip of the island.

We were not disappointed this time!  When we first got in the water a nurse shark swam our way.

 

It just swam peacefully by, not paying any attention to us.  Oddly, if you look closely, it has a piece of coral stuck in it's gill and a remora swimming along.  Strange.

 The coral was just lovely.  No current to worry about so we hung out on the reef for a couple of hours.

 

 

I'll just let you page thru some photos.

Back to the boat with our catch.

 

After a shower we got on the dinghy for a little trip into "town".  (Which is really just a few homes, a church and a grocery/laundry).

 

Going up the "creek" - we're on a falling tide so the water is rushing out of the mangrove area.

 

Quite lovely.

 

Went to the small but well-stocked grocery for some fresh fruit and garlic.  Chatted with a very nice store-keeper.

 Back to the boat after a busy day!  And another pretty sunset and a smidge of a "green flash".

 

Little San Salvador (Half Moon Bay), Bahams

 We were up an pulling anchor around 7AM - moving on from Eleuthera.

 

The view off the back step in the Davis Channel where it's only 12-15 feet deep.  Lovely turquoise.

 

And then the majestic blue of the deep ocean where it's about 1200 ft deep!

 

It's cruise ship day - this one is the Regal Princess - anchored just off the tip of Eleuthera at their "private beach"...

 

And then hours later at Little San Salvador (the cruise line's name is Half Moon Cay) is the Carnival Dream.

 

We arrived about 3:30pm and watched the passengers on shore all walk back to the ferry area for transport back to the ship.

 

And then the beach was completely deserted.

 

As was the harbour.  Pretty sunset but no green flash.  (Oh, no, we didn't catch any fish either).